Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development Lebogang Maile tabled the province’s budget in the Gauteng Legislature on Tuesday and announced that Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office will allocated R1,5 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year.
“This would enable the Premier’s office to lead the Gauteng Provincial Government in implementing the Medium Term Development plan which would run up until 2029 as well as combat crime, boast economic growth, ensure energy stability and invest in education and skills development initiatives,” said MEC Maile.
Among the highlights of his speech was that the Gautrain project will from March 2026 be a fully-paid property of the Gauteng Province.
This as the agreement between the Gauteng government and Concession Company will end on the said date.
The agreement has been in place since 2006 and it shall have run for 19 years when it eventually comes to an end in March next year.
Maile also announced that the Gauteng-Limpopo railway line will be established to facilitate the movement of goods and people between the two provinces.
He revealed that 95% of the Gauteng government budget comes directly from the national government while the remainder of the budget (Own Revenue) comes from motor vehicle license fees, gambling taxes, hospital patient fees and interest earned by the Gauteng government from its investments.
According to Maile’s budget the Gauteng Legislature will receive R1,2 billion to propel confidence in democracy, fund political parties as such parties have now increased from six to eleven in the province’s Legislature.
The Department of Economic Development has been allotted R4,9 billion to promote investment in the development of industrial and economic infrastructure.
R66 billion has been given to the Department of Health to strengthen public health activities, while R69,6 billion will be spent by the Gauteng Department of Education to expand access to quality basic education and early childhood development.
Social Development has received R5,5 billion to secure social compacts and partnerships which will build a skilled and capable workplace.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) will receive R551,4 million to strengthen integrated planning and cooperative governance, whole the Human Settlements department has been given R5,8 billion to be used for optimisation of land use, servicing stands through Mega Housing projects and also create job opportunities through the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP).
The Department of Roads and Transport got R9,7 billion to fix street lights, fix potholes abd ensure safe and reliable transport system.
R2,4 billion will be spent by the Department of Community Safety to protect and safeguard communities, enhance safety at schools, monitor police stations and Metro Police departments.
The Department of Environmental Affairs will get R611,4 million for its work and the Department of Infrastructure Development will get R10,8 billion to support the economy through the revitalisation of central business districts, while the Provincial Treasury will receive R787,7 million to ensure that provincial strategies are funded.
The E-Government Department got R1,5 billion to maintain ICT and network infrastructure.
Maile announced that the Department of Sports, Arts Culture and Recreation will get R1 billion while the Department of Rural Development has been allotted R2 billion to revitalise the agricultural sector by creating employment through inclusive economic growth.
Copy of the Gauteng provincial budget speech: